Horror as young entrepreneur, 21, is stabbed to death on a driveway - and police have 'no idea' why
A manhunt is underway after a young entrepreneur was fatally stabbed on the driveway of a loved one's home.
Police are yet to rule out a link to organised crime following the brazen attack on Luke Manassa, 21, on Thursday night in Sydney 's west.
He was stabbed in the chest multiple times, just seconds after he got out of his work ute while visiting a relative on Driftway Drive, Pemulwuy, at around 10.45pm.
Police are hunting two hooded men who were believed to be waiting for Mr Manassa as he pulled up.
Mr Manassa managed to get back into his car after the attack and drove about 500m down the road to a bus stop where he pulled over before dying from his wounds.
Neighbours rushed to help and tried to stop the bleeding but the 21-year-old couldn't be saved.
'It was just horrific,' one resident told The Daily Telegraph.
'There was so much screaming and blood. Everyone is just traumatised by it.'
NSW Police Detective Superintendent Simon Glasser said police were investigating if the murder was linked to organised crime.
He said Mr Manassa was known to police but he was not a 'well-known' crime figure, and detectives had 'no idea' why he was targeted.
'The male and the location are known to police, so that will form part of our investigation,' Detective Superintendent Glasser said.
'This is serious, high level violence, which we can't tolerate, and our detectives with the assistance of the State Crime Command are throwing everything we have at this.'
Police still are still working to determine if the two hooded attackers fled on foot or in a car and are urging any witnesses to come forward.
'The only description we have is that these two males were in dark clothing and last seen heading south on the Driftway Drive,' Detective Superintendent Glasser said.
'We do ask that anyone that may have CCTV or dashcam footage contact Crime Stoppers or Granville detectives.'
Mr Manassa's family own a demolition company and the aspiring businessman had studied property economics at UTS.
He described himself as a young businessman on a podcast last year and discussed his entrepreneurial endeavors and 'side hustles' like selling designer sneakers.
'I knew what I wanted to do for a long time. I wasn't concerned with much else,' he said.
Forensic police were at the crime scene on Friday, taking pictures of a blood-stained driveway while they searched drains, gutters and bushland for a murder weapon.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
18 minutes ago
- BBC News
Seventh person charged with murder over Plymouth acid attack
A seventh person has been charged with murder in connection with an acid Cahalane suffered a serious assault involving acid at his home on Lipson Road, Plymouth, in February and died in hospital on 3 May. The 38-year-old was described by his family as an "outstanding father and son".Jude Hill, 43, of Wantage Gardens in Plymouth, has been charged with murder and participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group. She appeared at Plymouth Magistrates' Court earlier and was remanded into custody until her next appearance at crown court. Six other people appeared in court charged with murder at the beginning of June.
The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
Watch as fugitive drug lord Fito ‘The Lion' is found in trapdoor lair after daughter, 3, accidentally revealed hideout
WATCH the moment Ecuador's most-wanted fugitive, a drug lord dubbed "The Lion", is recaptured by police beneath a trap door. José Adolfo Macías Villamar, known as Fito, had been on the run for a year-and-a-half after busting out of prison in January 2024, when his escape sparked a wave of violence in the country. 7 7 Footage of Wednesday's arrest shows Fito pinned to the ground on his front surrounded by a swarm of heavily-armed cops. He calmly repeats his name at the orders of officers who bind his hands with cable ties and aim a pistol at his head. Another clip shows where the narco kingpin was discovered hiding. A huge slab of false floor slides back to reveal a hidden chamber extending through the house's foundations. Cops filmed themselves lowering into the cramped space and showed off the tight air-conditioned bunker which had concealed him. Fito was finally cuffed at the luxury home of his girlfriend, who is in jail, after a slip-up from his three-year-old daughter gave away his location. Before escaping, the convict had been serving a 34-year sentence for organised crime, drug trafficking and murder. His jailbreak sparked a surge in gang violence across Mexico which left at least 20 people dead. The country's president, Daniel Noboa, declared a 60-day state of emergency in multiple provinces following the escalation. Fito evaded the authorities for eighteen months, despite a massive-scale operation to pin him down. Ecuadorian police bring end to terrifying live TV hijack and arrest several suspects Several members of his family were arrested a month ago, and many of their assets were confiscated in raids as the authorities tightened the screw. John Reimberg, the country's interior minister, described the sting as a "psychological operation". The trail to Fito began when it was noticed that a city transport official had stopped turning up to work - arousing suspicions. Tailing him led the police to Fito's inner circle, according to the national police commander. They noticed he frequently visited a swanky three-story building complete with a huge swimming pool, a fully-equipped gym and a games room. There were reportedly brand new sofas still wrapped in plastic and TVs still in their boxes. 7 7 7 But the clinching confirmation that Fito would be in the house at the time of the raid came from his young daughter, according to police commander Víctor Ordóñez. In a ten-hour operation, a huge cordon was put in place in the surrounding streets and drones buzzed around the give cops a 360 view. After a fine-tooth search, Fito was finally snared in an air-conditioned bunker accessed through a trap door beneath the kitchen sink. When the teams brought in heavy excavation equipment, Fito realised he could be crushed to death and scarpered out. Reimberg said: "When this happened, Fito panicked. "He opened the hatch where military and police personnel were located and left the hole." Within minutes, he was on the ground with guns pointed at his head and being forced to repeat his name out loud. He is now threatened with extradition to the US. 7
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Killer dad Travis Decker's ex-wife issues blistering statement after standing by him: 'Wanted dead or alive'
The ex-wife of alleged killer dad Travis Decker hopes he'll be found 'dead or alive', after a three week hunt for the fugitive accused of slaughtering his daughters. Decker, 33, is accused of suffocating his three daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, who were found at a campsite on June 2 in Leavenworth, Washington. Decker failed to return the girls home to their heartbroken mom Whitney after a short custody visit. He is suspected of killing the three and has not been seen since, with speculation growing that he may have taken his own life in a remote location. Speaking with Ashley Banfield on NewsNation, Whitney Decker's attorney Arianna Cozart said she was praying for a conclusion to the search for her ex-husband. She said: 'She's just trying to cherish the memories of her babies and do what she can to advocate for change.' When asked what a resolution looks like for Whitney, Cozart added: 'That he is found, dead or alive. 'That's a huge thing that she wants, that's very important to her. So she can have peace. 'She knows that if he is found alive, he'll never be able to answer the questions that she might have to a point where it would give her any peace.' Decker, seen here, is suspected of murdering his three daughters and is on the run Speaking at a memorial service for her girls last week, Whitney said: 'I know that Evie would have loved to ooh and ah over all of your outfits. 'She would have been amazed by all the color out there and just thought you guys look fantastic,' Whitney told the crowd who had gathered for the emotional service. 'Paityn would have sought each and every one of you out to try to find something to give you a compliment for.' 'Thank you everyone for being here tonight and the outpouring of love that you have shown me and my family over the past few weeks,' she said. 'I truly hope that the legacy of the girls lives in everyone's heart forever. They were incredible.' On Monday night, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying there was no evidence that he remains in the area or that he is alive at all. A statement said: 'Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching. 'Still, we can't and won't quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he's at large.' Authorities are still focusing their efforts in the Teanaway Valley, Liberty, Lauderdale and Blewett Pass areas. The U.S. Marshals Service is working to track down Decker if he managed to escape the region, the sheriff's office said, and extra patrols have been on duty. The killings occurred in neighboring Chelan County, but backcountry trails link the area to Kittitas and to the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from Canada to Mexico. It would not be unprecedented for Decker to evade a search in the rugged, remote region for three weeks. He has survival skills - although searchers have conceded he may have committed suicide in a remote area of wilderness that has not yet been searched. The area is dotted with abandoned buildings as well as unoccupied vacation homes in which he might find shelter, as well as caves and former mines. At the time of his disappearance and his daughters' deaths, Decker was living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, police said. On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County along with Decker's truck. Deputies found the girls' bodies about 75 to 100 yards from Decker's truck. An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied and plastic bags were over their heads when they were found, court documents said. Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood. The alleged-killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported. Chilling audio from just months before the harrowing murders captured the fugitive father begging for more custody time to go camping with his daughters. In the recording from a September 2024 custody hearing, Decker makes an eerie promise that no harm would come to the girls if he's given more time to take them camping in Washington's wilderness. With an extensive combat background, authorities and locals have been concerned about Decker being on the loose. He joined the Army in 2013 and served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021. He was a full-time member of the Guard until 2023 or 2024, when he switched to part-time. Decker stopped attending mandatory monthly drills a little over a year ago, and the Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge. He likely has advanced combat training and was an airborne paratrooper who earned the elite rank of 'Ranger,' indicating he would have excellent wilderness and survival skills, Fox 13 Seattle reported, citing social media posts. Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
